Teen to stand trial for gang slaying

ESCONDIDO — An Escondido teen accused of firing the shot that killed a 15-year-old boy during a gang-related shooting was ordered to stand trial Nov. 13.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Joan Weber found enough evidence to bind over Nestor Garcia, 17, on a single count of murder with additional weapons and gang allegations for the June 28 slaying of Eduardo Aranda.
Garcia, whose bail was set at $1.5 million, remains in jail and faces a potential of 50 years to life in prison. He is scheduled to be back in court Nov. 20 for an arraignment, at which time a trial date maybe set.
Prosecutors allege Garcia and two other Escondido gang members, Eliud Eduardo Rangel, 18, and Osiel Junior Reyes, 17, drove up to a group of teens on Spruce Street near 7th Avenue, at which time Garcia stepped out of the car and fired several shots. Aranda, of Escondido, wasn’t a documented gang member, but prosecutors believe some of the people he was with were associated with a rival Escondido gang.
There were no other injuries from the shooting, according to police.
Following the half-day preliminary hearing, Deputy District Attorney Geoff Allard said Aranda was killed by a single .22-caliber bullet to the back, which caused him to bleed to death. The lawyer said the alleged murder weapon, a .22-caliber revolver, was found a couple of blocks from the crime scene; however, he said he couldn’t elaborate about whether the defendant’s DNA or fingerprints were found on the firearm.
Allard said he couldn’t discuss why the two other teens that were also charged in the slaying are being tried separately from Garcia.
Rangel is charged with one count of murder, while Reyes is charged with a single count each of murder and being an accessory after the fact. Rangel and Reyes each remain in custody in lieu of $1 million bail and are scheduled to be in court Dec. 15 for their preliminary hearing.